Louvered window



3 Claims.

spending aisnicatiph s3 @nativa-irren March 1.87 1.946,

aj 'window that; boni gwetn, fia and-.particularly daptd flot use lwtvehicles such as f ofmtlle' outsid" whieriftriewmdw' is' of such si u Astili fftn' object' of 'my invention is to (Cl. zo-ss') res lessrwallpace than furnish a louyeredyvindow which may be installed invehicle`sv,'with'the p ossibilityiof persons being injured Vby any,outwardlyjhextending window structure heinguelirninated in that at notime do thepahes project beyond the Wall section in whichthe window isinstalled.

These vand other objects 'and advantages of my invention 'W ill becomeA4apparent from the followi'fi'g. description., 0I.. a p referredjformthereof, and

` from the drawings illustrating' that form in which: A

vli'gure lis anelevationalview of my louvered ivmdow kas'vieyvedfrom`theinside;

,Eigu 2 is` an enlarged fragmentary elevational section taken on 'theline ZfZ in Figure l,

Figure 3 is anenla'rged vfragmentary horizontal section taken `o`r 1` th"e `line 3T3: 1in Figure 2,

.Figure lis anenlarged fragmentary elevational section taken on theli'nei-Gin' Figurev 2, and

Ili'gii're 5 i`s 'a perspective View of the angular bracketused insupporting the panes.

...A Window constructed. inV accordance with my present Air'iyerition'may ,be v :onsidered as formed from three p1jiinary components whichare identi'fied intlie accompanying drawings by general referencenumbers as follows,and include: a number o f vrectangular panes. l thatare arranged in y'rticalseuence\ Withrelation to 'one another, a fr'ameZmforV pivotally supporting. the panes,

and an independent. adjustment and locking r r 1 e chanisr`n 3 forcontrolling the position of each gato gtiimirwing and i paticuiiy. togurel Willhe vseen-that thenframe l includes Which may be formed fromany rigid, weather resistnemateriel Qf, arleulalxcros `Sect/10Hrigidlyconnected .to ,ong anthereat eachl end thereof byrectaneular, end pieces22 .0f Similar;Irlaterialf Rieidly. afxedto the. edeesofeach of the endmembers y2,2 are a pairof vertical anges 23 and 2,4, the `functions. ofiwhich` ,.,wilL herein-after be pointed out. 4 Thev langesi 23 lare,affixed to the Outer edges-of themembers 22- anddisposedinfuWaldlyltowardone another, While, the ,anges 2li are; Similarlyattachedtoe-the inner edges .0f the and members. .but .disposed .outwardly awayfrom one another .as @estasi-Een 11.1, rieure 3,... Although the.k@.1111.1,rleml@ew10,1v the Window frame .maybe ff/brlqeeiirlom th@Qmpellegt Siriusand flanges aaprerieusly e ribed. in; .thequantityeroduC-- bien prefer te,,us.ef.commerial erial having thedesired Z-shaped cross sectio sa For supporting the panes l from theframe 2 a number of brackets 4 are provided, each of which includes adiagonally disposed member 25 that not only serves to guide a pane whenit is being removed or inserted into the frame, but prevents thieves andwould-be trespassers from vertically displacing the panes in the windowand thus securing unlawful entry therethrough. A downwardly disposedflange 26, secured to the outer edge of the diagonal member 25, servesto support the bracket 4 from the interior face of the end member 22 bybeing welded or brazed thereto. A short horizontal toe 21, rigidlyattached to the lower edge of the diagonal member 25, serves to supportthe bracket 4 from the interior face of the end member 22 by beingwelded or brazed thereto. The short horizontal toe 21, rigidly attachedto the lower edge of the diagonal member 25, serves as a pivotal supportfor a pane I when its lower edge is placed thereon. It will be apparentfrom an examination of Figure that in large scale production, thebrackets 4 may be fabricated from commercial angle iron by rst removinga portion of one flange therefrom, and then bending the remaining flangeinto the desired angle to form the toe 21.

For pivotally supporting the panes I from the frame 2 a number of thebrackets 4 are attached to the inner faces of the end members 22, witheach bracket being placed in the same horizontal plane as a like bracketsituated on the opposite end member, and with the diagonal members 25and the horizontal toes 21 aligned with one another. A pane I is nowplaced on each pair of brackets 4, with the lower edge of each panebeing pivotally mounted on the horizontal toes 21 as may best be seen inFigure 1.

For locking the panes in closed position as shown in solid line inFigure 2, and for holding them in the intermediate position as shown insolid line in Figure 2, and for holding them in the intermediateposition between this and the open position shown by phantom lines inthe same figure, the independent regulating mechanisms 3 are employed.Although each of the panes has been supplied with a regulating mechanism3 at each end thereof, this is a matter of convenience for the occupantof the room as either of the mechanisms may be used in controlling theposition of the pane. However, when the pane is locked to the frame, andparticularly if the window is being subjected to vibration such as in atrailer, I have found it desirable to place both of the adjustmentmechanisms 3 in the locked position to prevent unnecessary strain beingplaced on the pane due to sudden shock.

In structure the regulating mechanism 3 includes a lever 29 that isrotatably mounted on a machine screw 28 which is perpendicularlydisposed on the interior face of the end member 22, and located abovethe upper portion of the diagonal member 25 as best seen in Figure 2.Disposed on the end of the lever 29 adjacent to the A'pane I is ahorizontal pin 30 that serves to rotatably support a resilient roller 3lwhich is not only used as a rest for the pane I when it is in thepartially open position, but as a locking means when the pane is placedin the closed position. Situated on the opposite end of the lever 29 andused for actuating same is a handle 32 which I have found convenient toform by bending a portion of the lever 29 at an angle of substantially90 degrees thereto as best seen in Figure 2.

It will be apparent that for the pane I to be retained in anintermediate position by resting on the roller 3I that frictional meansmust be employed to prevent the lever 29 from rotating downwardly due tothe weight of the pane which it supports. To achieve this result Irotatably support the lever 29 on the machine screw 28 between a head 32and a washer 33, with the entire assembly being held on the interiorface of the end member 22 by a self locking nut 34 that engages themachine screw as it emerges on the outer face of the end member. Thus byrevolving the head 32 the desired friction may be placed upon the lever29; sufficient to allow the lever to be moved by the operator toregulatethe position of the pane, but great enough to prevent the lever fromrotating downwardly due to the weight of the pane which it supports.

In placing the pane I in the closed position, which is automatically thelocked position, the handle 32 is pressed downwardly to cause the roller3I situated on the opposite end of the lever 29 to move upwardly in avertical arc. and rotate along the inner face of the pane as it pivotssame on its lower edge into the closed position. It will be obvious thatany vertical component of force generated by the upward movement of thearm 29 and tending to lift the pane I from the brackets 4 as it pivotssame into the closed position is eliminated by the use of the roller 3|.

To prevent the panes I from being slid inwardly and removed from theframe 2 by wouldbe trespassers or thieves, a vertical strip 36 isprovided that extends inwardly past the outside edge of each pane and isremovably secured to each flange 24 by a number of machine screws 31, asbest seen in Figure 1. It will be noted that a number of verticallydisposed slots 38 located along the inner edge of the strips 36 allowthe arms 29 to project therefrom in a vertically movable position. Thuswith the strips 36 in place and with the upper end of each diagonalmember 25 in contact therewith, it will be seen that neither can thepanes I be removed from the frame 2, nor can they while remaining in theframe be shifted to the top or bottom thereof to secure unlawful entryfrom the outside, as the end portion of each pane is enclosed in aninwardly extending trapezoidal section which is bounded on the top andbottom by the brackets 4, on the inside by the strip 36, and on theoutside by the flange 23.

In order to both weather proof the window as well as to eliminaterattles that may arise therefrom when same is installed in a vehicle Ihave provided a U-shaped molding 39, that is fabricated from a resilientmaterial, and which I slip over that portion of the lower edge of eachpane that is not resting on the brackets 4. A depending member 40 aixedto the lower portion of the U-shaped molding 39 serves to conduct anywater or moisture accumulating on the outside of the panes downwardlyfrom one to the other, and thus eliminates the possibility of any inwardseepage which might take place at the horizontal junction of the panes.Although I have found'from experience that rubber gives excellentservice when used as a material for the molding 39, it will be apparentthat any weather and water proof material such as cellulose acetate or asimilar material may be used for this purpose with equally satisfactoryresults.

For weather and rattle proofing the end members 22, a vertical strip 4Iwhich may also be made from rubber, cellulose acetate, or a similarmaterial is aiixed to the interior face of the flange 23 as best seenFigure 3. It will be noted that the strip d! encloses that portion ofthe junction between adjacent panes which is not covered by the molding33. As a further precaution against rattling, as well as to preventchipping or breaking of the panes when they are rapidly placed in theopen position, a number of resilient pads l2 are placed along the outerface of each strip 35 and so disposed as to serve as a rest for theupper edge of the panes I when same are in the fully open position asbest seen .in Figure 2. For holding the pads 42 in the desired positionon each strip 39 I have employed a suitable adhesive or glue.

Due to the simple mechanical structure of my window the operation of thedevice will readily become apparent from an examination of Figure 2.Each of the panes I is independently controlled from the balance of thepanes by dual regulating mechanisms 3, either of which may be used forthis purpose at the option of the 0perator. To place a pane in theclosed position, one of the handles 32 is pressed downwardly to causethe opposite end of the lever 29 to swing upwardly in a vertical arc,with the upper portion of the pane I supported on the resilient roller3|. Thus as the upper portion of the pane I is forced inwardly towardthe frame by the roller 3|, the lower edge of the pane I pivots on thepair of supporting brackets 4 until the pane is parallel with the frameand the lever 29 is normal thereto. In this position the pane is notonly closed but locked, for as the roller 3| is forced into the closedposition it is also slightly compressed and tends to retain the lever 29in the perpendicular position with relation to the pane until an upwardforce is applied to the handle 32. Therefore, it will be apparent thatthe vertical component of force necessary to revolve the lever 29downwardly and allow the pane to assume the open position cannot beapplied from outside the window irregardless of the pressure applied.

In opening the window the process is merely reversed with the handle 32being raised upwardly to cause'a downward movement of the opposite endof the lever 29 that supports the roller 3|. Thus as the roller 3| movesdownwardly away from the frame 2, the pane pivots inwardly on its loweredge due to gravity, with its position being determined by that of theroller 3|. It will be noted from an examination of Figure 2 that in theclosed and intermediate position the pane is resting on the roller 3|but in the open position, is resting on its upper edge against the pad42, with the lever 29 disposed between the diagonal member 25 and thelower portion of the pane.

For the removal or replacement of panes which may be broken or damagedafter the assembly of the window has been completed, the strips 36 areremoved from the flanges 24 and the levers 29 revolved into a positionwhere the panes may be conveniently slid edgewise from the frame. Itwill be obvious that in the assembly of the window after the frame 2 hasbeen installed in the desired position that the levers 29 may berevolved to a similar position, the panes slid into the frame 2 edgewiseusing the diagonal members 25 as guides, and when the operation has beennished aixing the strips 36 to the flanges 2L'. to complete the windowstructure.

While the particular apparatus herein shown described in detail is fullycapable o1 attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative ofthe presently preferred form of my invention, and that I do not mean tolimit myself to the details of construction or design herein shown,other than dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A window structure including a substantially rectangular frameprovided with two laterally spaced vertical end members, a plurality ofbrackets supported as horizontally aligned pairs on the facing surfacesof said end members, each of said brackets having a horizontallydisposed supporting portion, a plurality of substantiallyrectangularpanes extending arcoss said frame with the lower edge of each of saidpanes near the ends of each of said panes resting freely on saidsupporting portions of a pair of said brackets, resilient verticalstrips having rigid backing means mounted on said end members outsideand adjacent said supporting portions for engagement by marginal endportions of the panes on the outer surfaces of the panes, elongatedresilient elements substantially U-shaped in cross section horizontallydisposed between said vertical strips and each having a marginal loweredge portion of one of said panes received therein, a plurality ofindependent lever means pivotally mounted on the facing surfaces of saidend members and extending from inside toward the outside, the pivot ofeach lever means being substantially in the horizontal plane passingthrough the horizontal median of each pane, and the length of the levermeans from the pivot to the inside surface of the pane being such thatwhen the lever is substantially in a horizontal position the pane isurged against said resilient vertical strips, a depending flange on theoutside edge of each of said horizontally disposed resilient elementsfor engagement by an upper marginal edge portion of the next lower panewhen said next lower pane is urged against said vertical strips, andmeans secured to the inside of the frame and disposed inwardly of saidpanes to prevent inward removal of the panes from the frame.

2. A window structure in accordance with claim 1 in which said levermeans are provided at their outer ends with resilient end pieces forengagement with the panes when the lever means are substantially in ahorizontal position.

3. A window structure in accordance with claim 1 in which each of saidbrackets includes an inclined portion merging into said horizontallydisposed supporting portion adjacent the lower edge of the pane restingthereon and extending upwardly and inwardly from said supportingportion.

JOSEPH R. KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,243,575 Alexander Oct. 16, 19172,057,815 Boehm Oct. 24, 1936 2,131,251 Ferri Sept. 27, 1938 2,395,319Davies Feb. 19, 1946

